


A Piece of Their World Was Missing

by Annonbirb



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: But one chair is., M/M, Modern AU, Reincarnation, The table is no longer empy, genderflip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:28:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20494847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annonbirb/pseuds/Annonbirb
Summary: Reborn into another time, Jean Valjean, Javert Cosette and Les Amis d'ABC take the lessons of their pasts and try to work towards a better ending to their stories.  But this status quo is shaken up with an abduction and an attempt to find a friend that everyone thought lost forever come together in a way that no one could have foreseen.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A few notes/warnings. This fic will have some characters change race/gender and ages will not always scale as they did in the novel (Mainly Cosette is about five years older than in past timeline) though this is less for the sake of diversity than it just struck my fancy. Also this was inspired by a prompt from Making Hugo Spin but I feel diverged enough off the point to not be counted as a fill. Please leave any feedback as I would like to hear what does and does not work.

Jean Valjean jerked awake with a start, his dreams still attempting to pin him in their horrid embrace. Exhaustion hung over him in the humid summer air, as he panted still smelling the festering sewage from his memories. Valjean rubbed his hands over his face and tried to remember where he was, safe and a lifetime, many lifetimes from that dark and painful life. 

Valjean’s muscles cracked and ached as he rose to his feet and stretched seeking out the trigger to his nightmares. The small and dingy office seemed innocent enough, the soft green paint had a pleasant glow and the blinds kept the worst of the sunlight out. The ancient ceiling fan gave it’s usual steady rattle as it had for the last fifteen years and nothing seemed out of place, until he looked at the large desk calendar that had been his pillow. June Forth, the night of the beginning of the end for him.

“Cosette.” Valjean muttered as he looked at the pictures on his desk of himself and his daughter. In this life, one of the biggest things that had torn him and Cosette his dark past was not the shame it had been and this time Valjean had confessed to her.

Valjean grabbed his keys and headed out the door with only an offhand goodbye to the clerk who stood behind the counter. The clerk smiled and waived and bade him a good evening. Valjean climbed into his van, and started the engine. 

He rode in silence, the tape player having been broken for many years and not wanting to hear about the disappearances around the county. He didn’t like thinking about those grisly murders nor did Valjean appreciate the increase of patrols that the brought. Jean Valjean wasn’t the wanted man he was in his past life but the instinctive fear never did truly leave.

Glen Rivers Community Gardens was a lovely site, a reclaimed parcel of land that had once been a strip mall. Valjean often made deliveries here and Cosette loved to spend time here talking with the people as well as working on her own projects.

Valjean spotted his daughter near her patch, pulling a few stubborn weeds from her well tended patch and occasionally clipping at the flowers that dominated it. How lucky Valjean was to have such a wonderful daughter.

“..afraid I’m going out of town tonight on business.” Valjean felt his good mood start to spoil. It was times like this that Valjean felt that his daughter was too kind and trusting and heavens only know how she could maintain a friendship with such people as the youth in front on him.

“Mr Newman.” Noel Redfield greeted simply as he continued clipping off leaves and branches from the plants in his plot. “How are you doing this fine day?” Valjean gave a curt nod towards the young boy, not wanting to upset his daughter by openly antagonizing her friend. Instead he took in the plain tattered brown clothing that Redfield wore and his cropped and dyed brown hair.

“I’m fine. How about you, are you staying out of trouble?” Valjean asked harshly, knowing that the question was rhetorical. Redfield was a well known thug about these parts with a new arrest for trespassing, vandalism and fights (along with rumors of being involved in some local disappearances) every couple of months. He drifted in and out of town, often finding the time to give Cosette gifts like witchy necklaces and strange little bags.

“Papa, don’t be so mean.” Cosette called out shocked, but Noel smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright Patricia, I understand why you father feels the way he does. I’ll tell Claude that you said hello.” Cosette leaned forward and embraced her friend.

“Tell him that Papa will be getting a new shipment of succulents next week and I’ll put his face on a milk carton if he doesn't come out to see them.” Patricia said with a laugh which Redfield shared.

“He’ll be there I promise you. Good evening Patricia, Mr Newman.” Redfield said with a waive and headed to his own battered up car and drove off. 

Perhaps he was judging the boy too harshly, but there was a familiarity to Redfield, a vague memory of brutality and coldness. If they had met in the past life, it was not enough for Valjean to remember him like he did Fantine and Cosette.

“Cosette, I am sorry.” Valjean said once it was the two of them. He knew that somehow against all reason, those boys were dear friends of his daughter and it flared his protective instincts.

“It’s alright Papa, I just wish you could see them as I do, they are good people.” Was all Cosette said as she pulled out a large and rather plump strawberry from her own basket. “Look Papa, you’re getting some serious competition at the state fair this year.” Cosette smiled proudly as Valjean bit into the fruit.

“The competition will be stiff this year.” Valjean agreed with a smile.

“Come on, let’s go home. I found a new recipe that I’m dying to try.” Cosette said as she pulled Valjean towards his van.

Hours later, Valjean was going over the books while Cosette was downstairs listening to to radio on as she cooked them dinner. Valjean could smell the spices even with the door shut and was started to get hungry.

The peace of the evening was shattered as his phone and Cosette’s phone gave out twin blaring tones. Valjean sighed and reached for his phone and saw an alert about thunder storms and muttered thankfully that it wasn’t another missing person. 

Another couple of moments passed before something occurred to Valjean, Cosette’s phone was still blaring. Valjean crept into the kitchen and found it abandoned, with sliced onions and peppers starting to burn on the stove. Valjean turned off the stove and called for Cosette. After receiving no answer, Valjean went to the downstairs powder room and to his confusion the door was open and the room empty. For a second Valjean though that he heard some noise but a quick

The lights glitched and Valjean caught a hint of movement in the kitchen. Cosette was still gone and the smell of rotten eggs was wafting through the room. “No, please god, no.” Valjean said as he continued to call for his daughter and search the house with no luck. Cosette was had vanished without a trace and there was only one possible lead that Valjean had but he dint’ trust going there alone. No, if Valjean wanted to get his daughter back the had one choice and that was go to the people he’d spent years hiding from..the police.


	2. Reunion

The gloss had long faded on the West End Mall, a shopping center in the middle of a long slow death. But to Les Amis de l’ABC, it had been their meeting point since grade school. Combeferre passed what had once been a bookstore and then a tee-shirt shop but was now a tattoo parlor.

“Combeferre, did you cut your hair?” Combeferre smiled as she recognized the voice as belonging to Jehan and was quickly enveloped into a crushing hug. “It looks good on you.” Combeferre smiled toyed with one of the curls at the end of her hair.

“Thanks Jehan.” Combeferre felt a little sore when Jehan let go of her. “How are you, I have not seen you since your attempts to get published my friend.” 

“My words are a little too old fashioned for this world.” Jehan said sadly. “Is everyone still coming tonight?” Combeferre could see the slight apprehension his face most people would miss. This town was like hundreds that dotted this country, small in size and mind. It reminded may of them of their old lives, the ones they lived nearly two centuries ago before they all made their ways to Paris.

“Marius might not show up, it depends on whether he finds his sweetheart or not.” Combeferre said with a shrug. It seemed no matter how much things changed there were a few constants to keep the world in order. Combeferre did not have to mention the other of their group who would likely not show.

The two of them walked to the blocked off bookstore that had once been the center of their world. Three more of their group were also walking towards them, Bossuet and Joly flanking a rather depressed looking Grantaire. 

The three of them made an odd group with Bossuet wearing the polo shirt and khaki shorts of his work uniform while Grantaire was wore a tee shirt with holes in it and worn jeans making Joly stick out all the more. Joly wore a gray dress that ended in the middle of her thighs, heeled boots that ended just above her ankle and carried a matching purse stuffed with medicines and tissues.

“..found another lump, lucky to graduate before cancer takes me.” Joly said as she twirled the umbrella she carried with idle worry. Bossuet and Grantaire shared one exasperated look with each other and then looked up at Combeferre as Jehan gave a shout of joy and ran to embrace his friends.

“Combeferre, are you now trying to makeup for all those years wasted trying to make your hair curl? Bossuet said with a laugh as he pulled one curl down and watched with delight as it sprung stubbornly back.

“That’s rich coming from the bald eagle of Meaux.” Grantaire shot back as he scanned the crowd. “So when will the others be here? I have a few bottles of the good stuff in Joly’s car and am eager to share them.” Combeferre noticed a few spots that Grantaire had missed in what was likely a last minute shaving session. She felt a stab of guilt at being so busy this last semester that she hadn’t been able to even call him much. She knew that Grantaire had been going through a rough patch lately and what the cause of it had been.

“Bahorel needs to make a delivery, to that basket case on the edge of town but he’ll be here soon.” Courfeyrac said, running a hand through his jet black hair as he walked up to the group. Jehan rushed up and gave Courfeyrac a tight squeeze and lifted him up into the air.

“So, Courfeyrac did one of your lovely sisters drop you off or are you taking the bus?” Grantaire’s eyes lit up as he looked around eagerly for any sign of them. Combeferre sighed irritably hoping this fight would not break out again this year. For one, Combeferre did not like fighting with his friends and two nobody in this group had the nerve to stand up to an angry Mrs. Lee about roughing up her son.

“Neither,” Feuilly interjected, “we split cab fare.” 

“How is your Etsy going Feuilly?” Bossuet asked watching his friend get embraced by Jehan.

“Fairly well, my latest designs are proving rather popular. Have you heard back from your postal exam?” Feuilly asked as he showed off some of his best selling pieces.

“One point short of passing.” Bossuet said with a shake of his head and both he and Feuilly shared a laugh. Bossuet's luck had followed him back into this new life though Bossuet did say that at least now he could make his baldness a touch more fashionable.

“Marius just texted, it seems that he missed his bus and will be a little longer.” Courfeyrac announced  
with an annoyed huff. He understood that Marius was never going to be as much apart of their group as the others but sometimes he wished his friend would at least try and not obsess about his ‘lost love’.

“Figures, Pointmercy never was one to keep up with important dates.” A lazy irritated voice rang out behind him. 

“Bahorel, how are you doing?” Joly asked watching in amusement as Jehan embraced the last of their group to join them. It was always strange to see Jehan as the large one while Bahorel was scrawny and scrappy, for back in Paris it had been the other way around.

“Had a lousy end of my shift but otherwise going well.” Bahorel answered cheerfully. “So how are things going between you and Bossuet?” Joly blushed and laughed awkwardly.

“So are we going to wait on Marius or are we going to have some fun tonight?” Grantaire with a slightly annoyed huff. Combeferre shook his head. 

“I know that this year has been busy for us all, so does anyone have any suggestions that aren’t just go to a bar.” Courfeyrac asked silencing his phone and looking to the others. The group fell into silence as the looked to each other. 

“I may have an idea, even if it goes against our agreement.” Jehan wrung his hands in worry. There was an unspoken agreement among them to never bring up why they gathered on this night, the anniversary of their failed revolution nor their missing chief. “We all agreed to not dwell on what we have lost. But I think that tonight would be the ideal time to try one last time to find Enjolras by asking the spirit world for help.” Grantaire's head whipped up at the mention of their missing leader. True they had all gathered but it was also true that they had never felt quite complete since then.

“Are we going to drag out the Ouija board again then?” Bossuet asked with Joly looking a little annoyed and Bahorel almost fuming. Of them all Bahorel was the lest tolerant of occult wu.

“No this. It’s a ritual I got from a reliable source.” Jehan said pulling out a water-stained book. 

“How reliable?” Courfeyrac asked looking expectantly at Combeferre.

“They knew my real name, they knew something about my end I never even told any of you.” Jehan said for once looking completely serious. “So what do you say everyone.”

“I’m for it.” Grantaire said with enthusiasm.

“It’s worth a shot.” Feuilly nodded in agreement.

“I don’t think we’ll find anything but OK.” Joly said fishing around in her purse for some pills.

“Maybe this will put the elephant in the room to rest.” Courfeyrac suggested.

“I agree.” Combeferre answered and looked at Bahorel who sighed in frustration.

“I think this is a bad idea and a little too much like devil worship shit. So if we are going to do it, can we at least choose a place that is a little more private.”

“I have heard talk of the ideal place. It’s an abandoned place not too far from town they say it used to be a minor hub for the slave trade.” Jehan said as he launched into a tirade on what the ritual was about. Around him the rest of the group divided up into three groups and headed out into the parking lot.

“Hey Bahorel, if we’re going out there can we ride with you. Joly will need to change her shoes.”

“I can chip in for gas.” Joly added batting her eyes and Bahorel rolled his before giving in. 

“Grantaire, you want to ride with us?”

“Of course.” Grantaire said with a grin. “So is Shop-land still as full of idiots as when I last worked there.”

“Even worse.” Bahorel said with a laugh. 

*********

Marius knew that there was no reason to be nervous, he had dreamed of this moment for years. But despite the certainty that all they would have to do was meet and then they could live a second life together. Marius was on the doorstep his hand raised when he heard it.

“..my daughter has been abducted. Of course I am sure, she’s vanished without a trace.” Marius’s blood ran cold at the emotional shouting of her father. He had heard that voice before but never had there been such panic or venom in his words. Marius continued to listen as two names came up, names of the town’s most infamous residents and Marius decided it was time to pay them a visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be trying to update weekly and please let me know what you think. Thank you all for your support and I hope you continue to enjoy.


End file.
